There’s plenty of chatter about what the Yankees might target before the trade deadline, and pitching keeps coming up. A new catcher and a new shortstop are on the wish list for some, but another dependable arm is part of the conversation too.
One name that has surfaced in recent coverage is Seattle Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock. The 27-year-old fits the profile contenders tend to chase this time of year: young, affordable starting pitching with years of team control still attached.
Hancock is under club control through 2030 and is making just $793,300 this season. That kind of contract gives a team a controllable starter without piling on another big salary or pushing further into luxury tax territory.
With questions still hanging over the Yankees’ rotation long term, he would bring help now and remain an option for the future. The rumor however is that the Cubs may be in on him.
Seattle’s depth is part of why the idea has traction. The Mariners already have Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, and Luis Castillo in a rotation that ranks among the deepest in the game, and they also have top pitching prospects on the way. That could make Hancock available if the Mariners decide they want to use that depth to chase right-handed offense.
For the Yankees, the appeal is obvious. Instead of paying for a veteran on a hefty deal, they could add a pitcher with upside, big league experience, and more than four years of club control. Hancock may not be the flashiest name on the board, but he fits the kind of deadline profile the Yankees should be eyeing.
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Yankees Just Lost A Deadline Target They Could Not Afford To Lose
The Yankees went into deadline season looking for help behind the plate, with a right-handed bat at catcher near the top of the wish list and an outfield upgrade also in play. For a while, Minnesota looked like one of the cleaner fits, since Ryan Jeffers and Byron Buxton were both names that could have addressed needs the Yankees have been trying to solve as July winds down.
Instead, the Twins have taken those names off the board, leaving New York to keep scanning the market for alternatives. The Mets have become part of that conversation, with the Yankees at least exploring whether a deal for Tyrone Taylor or Luis Torrens could make sense, while interest in Francisco Alvarez comes with a steep asking price that makes any move there far from simple. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Lose Another Deadline Fit As Cashman Runs Out Of Time
Spencer Steers injury took one more name off the Yankees deadline board, and it came at a time when Brian Cashman is still trying to sort out how aggressively to attack the outfield market. The Reds outfielder had been one of the more logical fits for a club looking for right-handed help, but his availability disappeared just as the Yankees continue to weigh a handful of other options with varying appeal.
Lane Thomas, Jo Adell, Jorge Polanco and George Springer remain among the names in the mix, though none comes without some kind of drawback. With the deadline clock ticking, Cashman is left trying to balance urgency against fit, and the list of realistic targets keeps getting thinner as the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]